Creative Pause, a Red Insight retreat
Who is it for? Open to all (ex) sex workers interested in creativity, storytelling, community and slowing down. No professional artistic experience required, curiosity is enough.
Series: Things you wish you knew
In this new series, we share sex worker-run events, along with sex workers’ tips, tricks and hard-won wisdom.
Vacancy: We are looking for Board Members
Red Insight is run by current and former sex workers in the Netherlands. On this platform we share knowledge, news, artwork, and perspectives that come from our own communities.
Events up close: Pleasure Providers Pillow Talks
In this new series, we share sex worker-run events, along with sex workers' tips and tricks. To start us off on International Sex Workers' Day, we are happy to feature tonight's Pleasure Providers Pillow Talks.
Film festival announcement: Coming to a screen near you
We are proud to announce that our short film, Wealth of Whoredom, has been selected for a number of screenings and nominations at film festivals globally this year.
Callout for contributions to the Red Insight x The Scarlett Letterpress Zine
CALL OUT: We launch this call-out on 15 February, Paid Day of Love in the Netherlands. To mark it, we invite sex workers to contribute to a new collaborative zine by Red Insight and The Scarlett Letterpress exploring our complex, celebratory, intimate and political relationships with cash.
Solidarity as strategy: Diverse organising by sex workers
ARTICLE: Sex worker activism takes many forms. Drawing on her experience, Marin Scarlett shares how different ways of organising build collective power.
Behind the scenes: Wealth of Whoredom
PHOTOGRAPHY: In September, Red Insight organised a three-day creative media retreat in the Netherlands for tired and artistic sex workers. We gathered in a house in the forest with a sauna, good food, campfires, and all the materials required to create the story we wanted to tell.
We all want to live in a country where no one has to be afraid
SPEECH: After a long struggle, last year the ban on the registration of street workers was finally introduced for the only two remaining street working zones in the Netherlands. Mischa, an advocate for the ban, wrote a speech.
Join the Red Insight Creative Media Retreat
ANNOUNCEMENT: Red Insight is hosting the Creative Media Retreat, a 3-day program for (ex) sex workers to slow down, connect and collaboratively create one powerful media piece.
Honouring 50 Years of European Sex Worker Activism
NEWS: 2nd June marked the 50th anniversary of a pivotal moment in our history: the occupation of the St. Nizier Church in Lyon, France. To celebrate, we took to the streets and ESWA aired Whore TV, as sex workers gathered around the world.
Strippers in Space #2
COMICS: Strippers in Space is a mini comics series by Comics Slut, the alter ego of our art director Cat Astrophe.
Stronger together: Smashing sex work stereotypes with SWAD
ARTICLE: I am an online sex worker and an archiver, researcher and coordinator, sharing insight into SWAD and its members to encourage other sex workers to get involved.
Mijntje by Margreet de Heer
COMIC: Mijntje is a comic series by one of our favourite allies, comic artist Margreet de Heer. Mijntje features a sex working character, Zina, who has just had a terrible day.
Join us for the Multi-Media Intensive Training: Sex Workers Make the News!
CALL OUT: We are excited to announce our Multi-Media Intensive Training: Sex Workers Make the News. A unique 3-day experience where (ex) sex workers come together to learn, share and create impactful media.
You’ve got to see this: Music video ‘Fils de joie’
MUST SEE: Most media is not exactly on our side. Still, over the years quite a few must-sees for sex workers have been created. Must-sees because of their exceptional, touching, authentic or beautiful qualities. In: You’ve got to see this! sex workers review film, television, radio, and music about sex work. Noor Wildeling watched and listened to Stromae’s Fils de Joie.
Sex work fashion throughout history
PHOTOGRAPHY: Photographer Vera Rodriguez captured “Sex Workers Who Changed History Fashion Show”. This historical fashion show tells the heroic stories of famous sex workers.
Update: The continued fight for the Red Light
Two years ago, writer and window worker El reported on the fight to keep workspaces open in Amsterdam’s De Wallen. During a pause from active protest, El writes an update from the eye of the storm.
A new insight: Our Proximate partnership
We are excited to announce our first ever media partnership. Together with Proximate, a new American nonprofit media platform, we’ll publish a newsletter.
Zine Workshop for Sex Workers
CALL OUT: This spring, Red Insight is offering a two day zine workshop on the theme of sex work and family.
End violence against sex workers and free Palestine
SPEECH: Red Insight shares Chandler’s words to honour our sex worker siblings, and the many lives lost in Palestine and around the world due to colonial violence.
Screening and storytelling – Igniting Irish sex workers through film
ARTICLE: Ireland has just hosted its first ever sex worker film festival. Red Insight visited to take in the culture, celebrations and challenges of our Irish colleagues.
Strippers in Space #1
COMICS: Strippers in Space is a mini comics series by Comics Slut, the alter ego of our art director Cat Astrophe.
Vote like your rights depend on it
ARTICLE: It’s political party time, and there’s only 3 days left until it’s time to vote. Only three candidates are outspoken sex workers, including Red Insight’s own managing editor Yvette Luhrs, who is running for Parliament with radical equality party BIJ1.
A call for ceasefire
EDITORIAL: The Red Insight team are attending protests across Europe right now, to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The inherent artistry of sex workers is on display in Amsterdam North
MUST SEE: The Artist Sex Worker Artist Show is a daring exhibition by a group of sex work artists. And is until the beginning of December on view at No Limits Art Castle in Amsterdam North. Our art director Cat Astrophe visited, and recommends you do too.
Reimagining Sex Work on tour
ARTICLE: Reimagining Sex Work is a feminist activist collective, formed to address the Dutch mainstream media and the many problematic terms and images they use to report on sex work, by bringing together sex workers and journalists.
Our favorite allies: Margreet de Heer
SHOUT-OUT: Red Insight is all about sex workers creating their own media and sharing their own stories. But sometimes we really want to shine a light on some of our biggest allies.
Celebrate sex worker pride at the Wallen
ANNOUNCEMENT: It is summer, so time for pride. Queer & Pride Amsterdam is explicitly making room for sex workers this year by including several sex worker events on Thursday 27th July.
Mom, Dad, at least I don’t work for Facebook: Coming out to your folks
COLUMN: It’s so hard coming out of the closet as a doctor. People asking you all kinds of invasive questions like whether the operating theatre is dangerous with all those scalpels lying around, what’s the freakiest illness you’ve seen, whether there’s lots of exploitation of medical interns and nursing staff. Good thing we’re sex workers, and don’t have to deal with any of that!
Pleasure Providers Pillow Talk: a night to gather, rest and celebrate
ARTICLE: On the 2nd of June we celebrated International Sex Worker Day. This year Gigi Queerlove visited the Pleasure Providers Pillow Talk. A night organized by Kami Million at the San Seriffe bookstore.
Red lights? Camera? Action! Whorehouse Cinema
ARTICLE: During the last weekend of March Queer.Red is organizing their first multi-day festival, Whorehouse Cinema at Cinetol Amsterdam. Just like their former events the program will be soaked in sex worker visual art.
WORKSHOP: Five day video workshop for sex workers
Are you tired of mainstream reporting on sex work? Would you rather tell your own (video) story? Do you want to contribute to Red Insight and to the sex worker community? Then sign up!
'Say no to the WRS'-internet consultation guide
Right now, the legislative proposal Sex Work Regulation act is in consultation. That means the government is asking the people what they think of this law. So for sex workers and allies, this is the time to speak out against these laws.
Drag show at the brothel
ARTICLE: Sex work and feminism: even for feminist sex workers it’s not always clear how these two terms relate to one another. Noord Wildeling searches for depth and meaning so it may be of use to us all.
Clients will be clients
ARTICLE: Clients, however nice, will always be clients. So it’s up to us to take the lead during dates.
Vera Rodriguez presents 20 years of sex work photography
PHOTOGRAPHY: Vera Rodriguez has been documenting many aspects of sex work, drawing from her own experiences and that of the community, for the past twenty years.
Keeping the lights on in the Red Light District
ARTICLE: I’m a non-Dutch, part-time full-service window worker. I have been working for five years in De Wallen, Amsterdam’s world famous red light district.
Alejandra Ortiz at the Melkweg
MUST SEE: Author, researcher and Red Insight contributor Alejandra Ortiz has several important projects happening at the moment.
How much time should I give my new partner to adjust to my job?
COLUMN: A whirlwind romance had brought me to a Greek island, where – sipping on a frappé, the sea lapping at my feet – my rose tinted sunglasses fell off. My lover informed me he could perhaps learn to tolerate my work.
Brexit triple threat
ARTICLE: From catering to leafletting, I’ve had many jobs… But only one that was sustainable enough for my rent and for my mental health.
Belgium is doing it! Decrim!
NEWS: After many years of tireless hard work by sex work activists and advocates, sex work has finally been decriminalised in Belgium.
What’s the house number?
ARTICLE: “Can you step out of the car please? Just to make sure you’re really here.” Slowly he appeared, one leg, two legs. And there he was, wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
In solidarity with Ukrainian sex workers
EDITORIAL: The war in Ukraine is causing devastating consequences for everyone in the country, including the Ukrainian sex worker community.
A forced farewell to de Baan: five sex workers share their thoughts
EDITORIAL: On the 1st of July the Utrecht street-based zone will close down. What are sex workers leaving behind and what will they miss the most.
Dutch elections 2021: what do the parties say about sex work?
ARTICLE: Sex work is politics and coming March 15th, 16th and 17th it’s time for our general elections.
Migr…aine, confused but still here
ARTICLE: Why decriminalization of sex work should include everyone
A note on WRS
EDITORIAL: The government-proposed “Regulation on Sex Work” (Wet Regulering Sekswerk) is harming the rights of sex workers all over the Netherlands!
"You are not alone": sex worker organizing in times of crisis
ARTICLE: In-depth article and interview with sex worker organizer Dinah Bons about the impact of the pandemic, community organizing in times of crisis, and the importance of activism that transcends movements.
Making Money with Sex: Difficult trade-offs, still my choice
PERSONAL ESSAY: I was having yet another sleepless night. I had never realized what insomnia was until I had to face it myself.
So much to fight for: the state of sex workers' rights in the Netherlands
ARTICLE: The debate in parliament about the Nordic Model earlier this month was the most recent attack on sex workers' rights in…
"Can't you just blow me without?"
POETRY: A poem about working in the Red Light District during a pandemic.
Welcome home
EDITORIAL: Welcome to Red Insight, the Dutch online platform for and especially by sex workers. Here we…